Who We Are

Founder and Leadership

Founded and directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Philip Schultz, The Writers Studio uses our unique method of persona writing to help writers achieve their literary goals. Advisory Board includes Guggenheim Fellows, a U.S. Poet Laureate, Mac Arthur Fellow, Pulitzer Prize winners, Founder of the Pushcart Press, Founder of Cave Canem, and other literary leaders. All of our teachers are writers who are trained to teach our original method of persona writing.


Who Takes Our Classes

Beginning and Advanced Writers Are All Welcome

We welcome students at all stages, from those who have only dreamed of writing fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction to those with MFAs hungry for additional serious, ongoing instruction. Students provide the desire to write and the willingness to learn, and we provide the structure, the technical know-how, the professional feedback and the friendly community to help students achieve their literary goals -- from achieving full creative expression to publishing in literary journals. Many advanced students are publishing books and winning literary awards.


How We Help You Find Your Voice

Our Method of Persona Writing

For 35 years, The Writers Studio has supported students in becoming stronger writers—with more craft at their disposal and more access to the full range of their emotions and imagination. Our method, developed by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Philip Schultz, gives students the opportunity to “try on” different narrative approaches and, in the process, discover their own material and voice. The school provides a supportive community of like-minded writers and is flexible enough to meet the needs of students at all levels of experience and commitment. Students can take a single six-or eight-week workshop, or proceed through a series of increasingly challenging classes. Learn more.


Classes Online and In-Person

Choose The Right Class For You

The Writers Studio offers classes in New York City, Tucson, San Francisco, Rome, and Online during four six- and eight-week terms per year.

Online Classes

Our online classes feature written critiques by professional teachers for every student every week. The classes happen in two formats: a weekly, hour-long typed chat or a weekly, hour-long Google Meet or Zoom discussion. Students who prefer an asynchronous experience and a bit more anonymity may find the class with a typed chat a better fit, while students who thrive on more personal interaction find the virtual discussion via Google Meet or Zoom suits them better.

Choose an online class with video chat here.

Choose an online class with typed chat here.

Virtual Classes During The Pandemic

During the pandemic, most of our in-person and many of our online classes are taking place virtually via Google Meet or Zoom. Students share their work electronically according to a weekly schedule. Then during the virtual class meeting, each student receives feedback from their fellow students and teacher, and the teacher then presents the following week's exercise.

Choose a virtual class here.